Automatic loading back stand



Juiy 4, 1967 .1. E. GUTHRIE AUTOMATIC LOADING BACK STAND 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Aug. 2, 1965 ZNVENTOR James E. Guthrie ATTORNEYS July 4, 1967 J.E. GUTHRH-I AUTOMATIC LOADING BACK STAND 2 Sheets-5heet Filed Aug.

INVENTGR James E. Guthrie y P; MM

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,329,369 AUTOMATIC LOADING BACK STANDJames E. Guthrie, 6516 George Washington Highway, Chesapeake, Va. 23706Filed Aug. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 476,624 14 Claims. (Cl. 24258.6)

The present invention relates to back stands for converter machines suchas cutter, sheeting, or ofi-coater machines; and is more particularlyconcerned with an improved, highly simplified back stand arrangement andapparatus, adapted to receive and manipulate a plurality of heavy paperrolls for feeding to and utilization by such converter machines.

Various apparatuses have been suggested heretofore adapted to receiveand support heavy rolls of paper in selected positions for unwinding andfeeding said rolls to adjacent processing machinery. The rolls of paperto be manipulated by such supporting apparatuses may weigh in the orderof a few hundred pounds, up to several tons each; and in a givenprocessing operation, a plurality of such rolls may have to be utilizedsimultaneously. For example, in one typical operation, twelve such rollsof paper may have to be mounted in a back stand at proper heights and insuch an arrangement that said twelve rolls may be unwound and fed to acutting machine simultaneously, thereby to cut twelve ply material.

In one of the most widely used arrangements employed at the present timefor loading and winding such paper rolls, an elongated shaft is manuallypassed through the core of the roll of paper (which core may have adiameter of, for example, eight inches), whereafter said shaft issecured to the roll at each end of the roll core by means of taperedcollars slid over the ends of the shaft and driven into the core endswhere they are locked into place by set screws. The roll is then liftedby a crane and placed in bearings in the converter machine back stand.This operation is, of course, repeated for each of the plurality ofrolls to be mounted in the back stand, and normally requiresconsiderable loading time as well as an operating crew of severalpersons.

Efforts have been made to simplify loading of this type through theprovision of more elaborate apparatuses comprising a pair of stub shafts(sometimes with expanding heads) which can be electrically manipulatedinto proper position relative to the opposing ends of a paper roll corefor insertion into said opposing ends. These alternative suggestionsare, moreover, associated with mechanical elements adapted to raise theroll and to manipulate it in various directions so as to position theroll or rolls properly relative to the converter machine with which therolls are to be used. In general, these more elaborate apparatusesinvolve heavy castings, hydraulic equipment, and heavy gearing; and theresultant equipment accordingly is extremely expensive to obtain andinstall, and requires careful and constant maintenance to assure thatthe equipment continues in proper operation. These characteristics ofthe more costly and elaborate machines suggested heretofore have madethe apparatuses economically undesirable to many mill operators,particularly relatively small operators; and, as a result, such smallmill operators have continued to employ the relatively laborious manualshafting and loading methods described earlier.

The present invention, recognizing the difficulties of known manualshaftin-g methods employed heretofore in converter machine back stands,and further recognizing the economic disadvantages of more elaborateautomatic 3,329,369 Patented July 4, 1967 equipments suggestedheretofore, is concerned With the provision of an automatic loading andmanipulating back stand apparatus which is far simpler and less costlythan automatic loading back stands suggested heretofore, whereby theback stand of thev present invention becomes economically feasible foradoption by small mill operators. The present invention, as will appearhereinafter, does the same overall job as more costly machines in thatit is adapted to receive, engage, lift, and position a plurality ofrolls relative to a converter machine; and accomplishes these functionsby means of an extremely efficient and rugged mechanical arrangementwhich is far simpler in construction, and which is less costly toacquire, install, and maintain than has been the case with automaticloading equipments suggested heretofore.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide animproved automatic loading machine adapted to significantly reduce thetime required for loading a plurality of paper rolls, or rolls of otherweb material, for use by converter machines.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of anautomatic, electrically and manually controlled loading apparatuscapable of being operated by a substantially smaller operating crew thanhas been necessary heretofore.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of animproved automatic loading back stand employing stub shafts havingexpanding heads adapted to grasp the opposing ends of paper coresforming a portion of large paper rolls, whereby the laborioustime-consuming manual shaftin-g methods which have often been utilizedheretofore can be eliminated.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provisionof an automatic loading back stand which is far simpler in construction,and which is significantly less costly to construct, install, andmaintain than has been the case with automatic loading equipmentssuggested heretofore, whereby the equipment of the present invention iseconomically attractive to small mill operators.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of arelatively simple and inexpensive automatic loading machine adapted toperform essentially all of the same roll loading and manipulatingfunctions as have been accomplished heretofore only by more costly andcomplex machinery.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provisionof an automatic loading equipment which can be mounted on back standsalready forming a portion of converter machinery with a relatively smallmodification of portions of such existing back stands, and withoutrequiring that any changes be made adjacent the floor or base of theexisting back stand and converter equipments, whereby automatic loadingof large paper rolls can be effected in existing previouslynon-automatic back stands with relatively little expenditure on the partof mill operators.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provisionof an improved back stand loading machine having a loading arrangementwhich is far simpler than that which has characterized other loadingmachines suggested heretofore, in that rolls of paper may be rolled directly into' the machine of the present invention and into alignmentwith expanding heads for manipulation and positioning of the rolls.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provisionof an improved, albeit highly simplified, loading apparatus adapted tograsp and move a roll of paper in lateral directions, as well as invertical and angular directions, whereby a roll can be properlypositioned for use in existing converter machines.

In providing for the foregoing objects and advantages, the presentinvention contemplates the provision of an automatic loading back standcomprising a pair of roller mounted trucks positioned on rail means,e.g., a pair of elongated horizontal beams. The trucks areinterconnected to one another, as well as to appropriate drivingsources, via mechanical arrangements adapted to permit said trucks to bemoved toward or away from one another, respectively, along said railmeans and also adapted to permit said trucks to move together along saidrail means in either of two opposing directions. The rail means uponwhich said trucks are mounted preferably comprise overhead beamssupported upon vertical stanchions extending between said beams and afloor or ground level. In any particular installation, these stanchionscan in fact comprise stanchions already in existence and formingportions of back stands already associated with a previously installedconverter machine. The horizontal beams on which the aforementionedtrucks are adapted to roll are preferably adjustable angularly in ahorizontal plane, whereby the actual line along which said trucks may bemoved can be varied angularly relative to a roll of paper and relativeto a converter machine so as to facilitate grasping of a roll of paperand subsequent feeding of paper from said roll to the converter machine.

Each of the aforementioned movable trucks is provided with a pluralityof downwardly extending further stanchions movable with the truck andacting as supports or as further rail means for a car arranged to bemoved upwardly and downwardly relative to its associated truck. Since apair of trucks are provided in the assembly of the present invention, apair of cars is similarly provided. Each car supports a rotatable shafthaving an expandable head thereon, with said shafts being disposed insubstantially colinear spaced relation to one another, and with theexpanding heads on said pair of shafts being in facing relation to oneanother. The possible up and down movements of the aforementioned cars,taken in conjunction with the possible horizontal movements of theirassociated trucks, permits each such shaft and its associated expandinghead to be vertically located in both horizontal and verticaldirections; and these possible horizontal and vertical movements can befurther modified angularly through the aforementioned angular shiftingof the horizontal beams upon which the trucks ride.

Accordingly, the aforementioned pair of expanding heads, which areadapted to be inserted into the opposing ends of a paper roll core, canbe variably positioned in vertical, horizontal and angular directionsrelative to a roll of paper to facilitate grasping and manipulation ofsuch a paper roll. As will appear, various mechanical, manual, andelectrical driving mechanisms are provided in the apparatus of thepresent invention for achieving the various possible movements of thetrucks, cars, and horizontal beams, thereby to achieve the desiredmanipulation of a paper roll, under the control of a single operator.

In a typical installation, the overall back stand and roll liftingapparatus of the present invention includes elongated beams extendingtoward a converter machine and arranged to support a plurality oflifting mechanisms such as have been described. For example, a typicalback stand may include twelve pairs of trucks, twelve pairs of cars,etc., adapted to permit manipulation of twelve rolls of paper. The rollsof paper are simply rolled into the machine along the floor intopositions underlying each of said lifting mechanisms respectively. Theseveral truckcar assemblies are then appropriately driven to maneuvertheir expanding heads into the opposing ends of the roll cores,whereafter the said rolls of paper may be lifted to proper position forsubsequent feeding to the converter machine. In a preferred embodimentof the present invention, limit switches are provided in associationwith each truck-car assembly, so that a roll of paper, once grasped byits associated lifting mechanism, can be quickly lifted to a desired andpredetermined proper height, whereupon the limit switch mechanismautomatically terminates the lifting operation with the roll then beingpositioned at a proper level.

The foregoing objects, advantages, construction and operation of thepresent invention will become more readily apparent from the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a portion of an automatic loading backstand constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of a portion of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 1,taken on line 33 of FIG- URE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 1, illustrating certaindetails of a car construction and mounting.

Referring now to the several figures, like numerals of which refer tolike parts throughout, it will be seen that an automatic loading backstand constructed in accordance with the present invention may comprisea plurality of vertically disposed stanchions 10, 11, 12, and 13 spacedfrom one another in a substantially rectangular array. It should benoted that the several stanchions 10 through 13, inclusive, may comprisepreexisting stanchions, or portions of such pre-existing stanchions,already provided as part of a back stand in a pre-existing convertermachine. It should further be noted that the several vertical stanchions10 through 13, inclusive, are intended to act as supports for a singlelifting mechanism of the type shown in FIGURE 1; and in a completeassembly, the several stanchions 10 through 13 inclusive would berepeated a plurality of times for a plurality of lifting mechanisms suchas will be described. In a complete array, a plurality, e.g., twelve,lifting assemblies of the types shown in FIGURE 1 are provided; but forsimplicity of description, only one such lifting mechanism will bedescribed hereinafter.

A pair of elongated longitudinal I-beams 14 and 15 are mounted at theupper extremities of stanchions 10, 11, and 12, 13, respectively; withsaid longitudinal I-beams 14 and 15 acting as the main support for theoverall lifting assembly. When a pre-existing back stand is to bemodified to incorporate the present invention, I-beams such as 14 and 15may be added to the aforementioned pre-existing stanchions. The I-beams14 and 15 may be sixty feet or more in length for a machine adapted tosupport and manipulate twelve paper rolls. A typical such roll isillustrated at 16, and may comprise various sizes and weights of paperwith each such roll weighing anywhere between 300 pounds and 5 tons.

A cross-beam assembly is positioned upon the longi-' tudinal beams 14and 15 at each lifting station. A typical such cross-beam assembly maycomprise a pair of elongated cross-beams 17 and 18 located in spacedparallel relation to one another, and having their opposing endsinterconnected by means of plates 19 and 20, rescpectively. Plate 19overlies the upper surface of longitudinal beam 14, and is provided witha pivot 21 extending into engagement with said beam 14. Plate 20overlies the upper surface of longitudinal beam 15; and said beam 15includes an upstanding pin 22 which passes through a radius slot 23formed in plate 20. Plate 20 further supports an upstanding rack 24engaged by a pinion 25. Pinion gear 25 is supported on a bracketattached to beam 15, and said gear 25 is coupled via a shaft 26 to ahand wheel 27 mounted upon a cross member 28 extending betweenstanchions 12 and 13 at a level of approximately three feet above groundlevel 29.

The overall arrangement is such, therefore, that rotation of hand wheel27 imparts an angular movement to the crossbeam assembly 17, 18, 19, 20about the pivot 21 within a range of movement limited by the dimensionsof radius slot 23 at rack 24. In a typical installation, the totallateral movement may be four inches, i.e., two inches in each directionrelative to pin 22. This provision for angular movement of thecross-beam assembly simultaneously effects movemen tof the truckassemblies to be described, as well as of the car assemblies, shaftmembers, and expanding heads also to be described, whereby a roll 16 maybe grasped by the lifting mechanism even though it may be somewhatangularly skewed after it has been rolled into the apparatus, andwhereby angular variations in the position of the roll 16 can beeffected to properly position a web of paper on said roll relative to aconverter machine with which the roll is to be associated.

The cross-beams 17 and 18 act as rail means 'or tracks for a pair oftruck assemblies 30 and 31 disposed in spaced relation to one another.Said cross-beams 17 and 18 further act as tracks for another truck-typeassembly comprising a movable base plate 32 positioned between saidspaced trucks 30 and 31. The purposes of movable base plate 32 willbecome apparent as the description proceeds.

Truck assembly 30 is supported on rollers 33 mounted for rotation on theupper surface of cross-beams 17 and 18. The rollers 33 are attached todownwardly depending support stanchions 34. The upper ends of saidstanchions 34, there being four such stanchions for the truck 30, areattached to the undersurface of truck 30, and the lowermost ends of saidsupport stanchions 34 are terminated in a plate 35. A similar sucharrangement is pro vided in association with truck 31, i.e., said truck31 is provided with four downwardly extending support stanc'hions 36terminating in a lower plate 37 and having rollers 38 mounted thereonfor movement along the upper surface of cross-beams 17 and 18.

Movable plate 32, positioned between the trucks 30 and 31, has avariable speed reversible motor and speed reduction assembly 40, mountedthereon. The output shaft of motor and speed reducer 40' is coupled to athrust assembly 41 which in turn receives a right-hand threaded rod 42and a left-hand threaded rod 43. The threaded rods 42 and 43 aredisposed in alignment with one another and extend respectively from thethrust assembly 41 to the two trucks 30 and 31; More particularly, truck30 has a deep nut 44 secured to its underside (see FIGURES 2 and 3) andadapted to receive right-hand threaded shaft 42, whereas truck assembly31 has a further deep nut 45 secured to its underside for receivingleft-hand threaded rod 43. This mechanical linkage is accordingly suchthat, when motor 40 is caused to rotate in a first direction, theoppositely threaded rods 42 and 43, cooperating with thrust assembly 41mounted on plate 32, causes the trucks 30 and 31 to move inwardly towardone another and toward said plate 32; whereas rotation of motor 40 inits opposite direction causes a reverse action to take place with thetrucks 30 and 31 being moved outwardly with respect to one another andwith respect to plate 32. Thus, by selectively energizing reversiblevariable speed motor 40, and by controlling its direction of rotation,the trucks 30 and 31 can be moved toward and away from one another asdesired.

Movable base plate 32 also has a deep nut 47 attachedt-hereto; and saiddeep nut 47 receives an elongated threaded rod 48. One end of rod 48,adjacent plate 20, passes through an angle bracket 49 attached to saidplate 20 and terminates in a gear 50 which in turn meshes with a furthergear 51. Gear 51 is coupled to an elongated downwardly dependingoperating rod 52, supported in a bracket secured to plate 20, andadapted to be rotated by a further hand wheel 53 mounted upon theaforementioned cross-bracket 28 in spaced relation to hand wheel 27.

It will be appreciated from this arrangement that rotation of hand wheel53 imparts rotation through the train 52, 51, and to threaded rod 48;and rotation of said threaded rod 48 through deep nut 47 tends to movethe carrier member or plate 32 in one or an opposite direction along theupper surface of cross-beams 17 and 18. Since the deep nut 47 isattached to plate 32, and since the motor 40, its reduction gear 46, andthrust assembly 41 are similarly mounted on plate 32, any such movementof plate 32 in one or the opposite direction carries the trucks 30 and31 with it, and effects like movement of said trucks, through themechanical linkage afforded by threaded rods 42 and 43, and the deepnuts 44 and 45 associated with trucks 30 and 31, respectively.Accordingly, the trucks 30 and 31, along with the interposed movableplate 32, can be moved as a unit in one or the opposite direction alongcross-beams 17 and 18 simply by rotating hand wheel 53. It will beappreciated, of course, that rotation of rod 48 can be effectedelectrically, i.e., by a suitably energized electric motor; and that,indeed, the angular movement of cross-beams 17 and 18 can also beaccomplished electrically by a suitable motor, rather than through theagency of hand wheel 27. However, for simplicity of operation, and toreduce the complexity and possible cost of the equipment insofar assmall mill operators are concerned, the provision of hand wheels 27 and53 sufiices for the purposes described.

The support stanchions 34 and 36 extending downwardly from trucks 30 and31 act as further rail or track means operative to carry a pair of cars54 and 55 thereon respectively; and said cars 54 and 55 are arranged forvertical movement upwardly and downwardly along the support stanchionsor rail means 34 and 36. Car 54, for example, has one side thereofformed by a pair of plate members 54a and 54b between which are mountedfour rollers 56 disposed on opposite sides of adjacent supportstanchions 34- in the manner illustrated (see, for example, FIGURE 4).The other side of car 54 is similarly formed by a pair of spaced plates54c and 54d between which are mounted further rollers 57 bearing onopposite sides of a further pair of support stanchions 34. The plates54a and 54b are held in spaced relation to one another by the shafts ofrollers 56, although additional bracing means may be provided; andsimilarly, the spaced plates 54c and 54d are held in spaced relation toone another by the shafts of rollers 57, with additional bracing beingoptional. The innermost ones of said plates, i.e., 54b and 540, areconnected to one another by a pair of upper cross-members 58 and by apair of lower cross members 59. As a result, the car 54 comprises aunitary structure adapted to be moved upwardly and downwardly on supportstanchions 34, with the rollers 56 and 57 rolling on opposite sides ofsaid support stanchions 34 during such vertical movements.

The construction of car 55 is the same as that already described withrespect to car 54, and this latter construction will, therefore, not berepeated in detail. The opposite sides of car 55 are interconnected toone another by upper cross-members 60 analogous to previously describedcrossmembers '58; and lower cross-members 61 and rollers 62 are alsoprovided for the purposes already described.

The cars 54 and 55 are adapted to be moved upwardly and downwardly ontheir associated support stanchions 34 and 36 under the control of amotor driving mechanism. More particularly, truck 31 carries areversible variable speed electric motor 65 thereon, the output shaft ofwhich is connected to a reduction gear assembly 66. The reduction gear'66 is in turn coupled to an elongated, downwardly depending rod 67which thread-engages cross-member 60' of car 55, e.g., by means of adeep nut secured to the underside of cross-member 60. The output ofreduction gear 66 is also coupled by a chain and sprocket assembly 68 toa further downwardly depending threaded rod 69 which is similarly inthread engagement with cross-member 60 in spaced relation to rod 67.Upon rotation of variable speed motor 65 in one direction, therefore,both of rods 67 and 69 will be moved in a direction appropriate to causethe car 55 to move upwardly; and if motor 65 is rotated in a reversedirection, a reverse or downward motion of car 55 will be achieved.

The output shaft of motor 65 is "also coupled via a telescopic shaft 70to a further reduction gear 71 mounted on the upper surface of truck 30.Reduction gear 71 is coupled to a further downwardly depending threadedrod 72, and is also coupled via a chain and sprocket assembly 73 tostill another downwardly depending threaded rod 74. The threaded rods 72and 74 are analogous to rods '67 and 69 already described; and saidthreaded rods 72 and 74 are in thread engagement with nuts provided inor underneath cross-member 58 of car 54 (see especially FIGURE 3).Accordingly, energization of motor 65 for rotation in one or an oppositedirection causes car 54 to be moved upwardly and downwardly togetherwith car 55.

In short, by reason of the mechanical and driving arrangernents providedand described, the cars 54 and 55 can be moved upwardly and downwardlywith respect to the floor level of the apparatus, can be moved inwardlyand outwardly with respect to one another by appropriate movement of thetrucks 30 and 31, and can be shifted angularly in position within limitsby appropriate manipulation of the cross-beams 17 and 18.

The cars 54 and 55 carry aligned stub shafts 80 and 81, respectively, insuitable bearings mounted on the lower cross members 59 and 61 of saidcars. The innermost or facing ends of said stub shafts 80 and 81 eachincludes an expandable head 82 and 83, respectively, adapted forinsertion into the opposing ends of a roll core (see FIG- URE 2).Expandable heads of the types used at 82 and 83 are in themselves wellknown in the art; and such heads may be manipulated to expand outwardlyso as to grasp the interior surface of the roll core. In order toprovide for selective expansion or collapse of the heads 82 and 83, theoutermost end of each stub shaft 80 and 81 is provided with a nut andthrust assembly 84 which is adapted to be manually turned in oneor anopposite direction by means of an appropriate tool. In addition, inorder to control the rotary movement of the shafts 80 and 81, the outerend of one or both shafts is provided with a brake assembly 85 which cantake the form of an electrically actuated brake, or which can comprisean automobile type brake adapted to be fluid actuated under the controlof an appropriate master cylinder.

Acontrol panel 86 may be mounted on stanchion 12 at a position abovecross member 28 and adjacent to hand wheels 27 and 53, thereby to permitappropriate control of all the desired movements of cars 54 and 55 fromone end of the machine. Control panel 86 may include an electricalswitch 86a forming a portion of an appropriate energization circuitassociated with motor 65 for causing cars 54 and 55 to be moved upwardlyand downwardly by appropriate manipulation of switch 86a. Said controlpanel 86 may also include a switch 86b forming a portion of anelectrical circuit energizing motor 40 to cause trucks 30 and 31 to bemoved inwardly and outwardly with respect to one another as desired. Inaddition, control panel 86 may include a switch 860 for controlling theenergization of brake 85 (in the event that brake 85 is an electricalbrake); or control element switch 86c may comprise a hand wheel forcontrolling an appropriate source of fluid pressure in the event thatbrake 85 takes the form of a fluid actuated brake. It will further beappreciated that, while no means have been provided for positivelydriving shafts 80 and 81, such drive could be provided when it isdesired to use the unit for winding operations. Such winding operationwould require one extra motor, e.g., a motor mounted on either car 54 oron car 55, and coupled to either shaft 80 or to shaft 81. If suchadditional motor is provided, control therefor can also be included as aportion of panel 86.

The electrical energizati-on circuit of motor 65, associated with switch86a, preferably also includes a series limit switch 88 (see FIGURE 1)mounted, for example, on one of the support stanchions such as 36 at aproper height above the cars 54, 55 related to the final height at whichit is desired to locate roll 16. This tends to facilitate thepositioning of rolls in that actuation of switch 86a to raise roll 16 isfollowed by automatic deenergization of motor 65 through the agency oflimit switch 88 when the roll reaches a proper height. In the event thatdifferent sections of the overall back stand are intended to raisedifferent rolls of paper to different heights above the floor level, thevarious limit switches such as 88 can be pre-positioned at the differentlifting stations so that the final lift position of each roll isautomatically determined.

To operate an apparatus of the type thus described, a roll of paper suchas roll 16 need merely be rolled along ground or floor level 29 into themachine at a position between cars 54 and 55. The operator of theapparatus standing adjacent control panel 86 initially operates switch86b to energize motor so that the trucks 30 and 31 are moved outwardlywith respect to one another by a sufficient distance to clear theexpanding heads 82, 83 from the ends of the roll. It will be noted thatwith the expanding heads so moved apart, the entire central portion ofthe machine is completely unobstructed due to the overhead bridge typearrangement employed in the apparatus of the present invention; andloading of a roll into the machine is, therefore, a relatively simplematter, which can be accomplished by one man.

When the roll of paper has been rolled along the floor 29 into positionbetween cars 54 and 55, the operator at control panel 86 then rotateshand wheel 53 so as to space the expandable heads 82 and 83substantially equidistant from the opposing ends of the roll core. Theoperator also moves cars 54 and 55 upwardly or downwardly as may benecessary to position said heads 82 and 83 opposite to the opposing openends of the roll core. Further actuation of switch 86b now causes trucks30' and 31 to move toward one another so that expandable heads 82 and 83enter the opposing ends of the roll core. The operator may then manuallyrotate the nut and thrust assemblies 84 to tighten heads 82 and 83 intothe opposing core ends. Thereafter, the operator moves switch 86a tolift the roll 16 until limit switch 88 automatically de-energizes motor65, at which time the roll of paper 16 is positioned at a proper heightabove floor level for use by a converter machine. To effect furtheralignment of the roll 16 relative to the converter machine, hand crank53 can be rotated to shift the roll longitudinally; and, in addition,hand crank 27 can be rotated to effect angular adjustments in theposition of the roll. A final positioning of the roll can thus beachieved. It should be noted that all of these operations, includingboth loading, lifting, and final positioning of the roll, can beaccomplished by one man.

Notwithstanding the facility with which a roll may be loaded andpositioned, it should further be noted that the apparatus of the presentinvention is relatively simple in construction, eliminates the need ofheavy castings, elaborate hydraulic equipment, and heavy gearing whichhas been characteristic of automatic back stands suggested heretofore;and can be installed and maintained at a cost which is attractive tosmall mill operators.

While I have thus described a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, many variations will be suggested to those skilled in theart. It should be understood, therefore, that the foregoing descriptionis meant to be illustrative only, and is not limitative of my invention;and all such variations and modifications as are in accord with theprinciples described are meant to fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. An automatic loadingback stand for converter machines comprising a pair of elongatedelevated beams extending horizontally in parallel relation to oneanother, a plurality of roll loading stations supported in spacedrelation to one another on said beams, each of said loading stationscomprising a pair of parallel elevated rails disposed transversely tosaid beams, a pair of trucks rollably supported on each pair of rails,drive means coupled to said trucks for selectively moving said truckstoward and away from one another and for also moving said trucks inunison in the same direction along said pair of elevated rails, supportmeans depending downwardly from each of said trucks, a pair of carsmounted for movement along said support means in generally verticaldirections between said trucks and ground level, and means on said pairof cars for releasably grasping the opposite ends of the core of a rollof material to be loaded and manipulated at said loading station.

2. The structure of claim 1 including means for angularly shifting saidrails and the trucks supported thereon relative to the direction ofelongation of said elevated beams.

3. The structure of claim 1 including further drive means for effectingsaid vertical movement of said cars along said support means, and switchmeans at each of said loading stations for automatically terminatingoperation of said further drive means when said cars are moved to apredetermined position above ground level.

4. A back stand for loading and manipulating rolls of web material,comprising a pair of generally horizontal elongated rails disposed inspaced substantially parallel relation to one another, means supportingsaid rails at an elevated location above and generally parallel toground level, a pair of trucks mounted on said rails in spaced relationto one another for movement in generally horizontal directions alongsaid rails, first drive means coupled to said trucks for selectivelymoving said trucks toward and away from one another along said rails,second drive means coupled to said trucks for moving said trucks inunison in the same direction along said rails, generally verticalsupport means depending downwardly from said trucks respectively topositions approaching but spaced above ground level, a pair of carsmounted for movement in generally vertical directions along saiddownwardly depending support means, third drive means coupled to saidpair of cars for effecting movement of said cars in unison upwardly anddownwardly along said support means, and a pair of spaced shafts carriedby said pair of cars respectively, said shafts extending in generallycolinear relation to one another along a line parallel to the directionof elongation of said rails, the facing ends of said spaced shaftshaving selectively expandable members thereon respectively adapted toreleasably grasp the opposite ends of the core of a roll of material tobe loaded and manipulated.

5. The back stand of claim 4 including drive carrier means movablymounted on said rails at a position between said trucks, said firstdrive means comprising motor means mounted on said drive carrier meansand coupled via a pair of oppositely threaded screw members to said pairof trucks.

6. The back stand of claim 5 wherein said second drive means comprisesmeans for moving said drive carrier means along said rails.

7. The back stand of claim 6 wherein said means for moving said drivecarrier means along said rails comprises a manually operable gear traincoupled to said drive carrier means.

8. An automatic loading back stand for loading and manipulating rolls ofweb material, comprising generally horizontal rail means, a pair oftrucks mounted for movement along said horizontal rail means, a carriermember mounted for movement along said horizontal rail means, saidcarrier member being located on said rail means at a position betweensaid trucks, first drive means mounted on said carrier member andconnected to said trucks for selectively moving said trucks along saidrail means toward and away from one another relative to said carriermember, second drive means coupled to said interconnected carrier memberand trucks for moving said carrier member and trucks in unison in thesame direction along said rail means, further rail means extending in agenerally vertical direction from each of said trucks, a pair of carsmounted for generally vertical movement along said further rail means,third drive means coupled to said cars for efiecting movement of saidcars in unison upwardly and downwardly along said further rail means,and means carried by said vertically movable cars for releasablygrasping the opposite ends of a roll of web material.

9. Take back stand of claim 8 wherein said first-mentioned rail means,said trucks, and said carrier member are all located at positionselevated above ground level, said further rail means dependingdownwardly from said trucks to a position spaced above ground level.

10. An automatic loading back stand for rolls of paper, comprising firstrails disposed in spaced substantially parallel relation toone another,a pair of trucks mounted on said first rails in spaced relation to oneanother ifOI movement along said first rails, first drive means locatedbetween said trucks and coupled to said trucks for selectively movingsaid trucks toward and away from one another along said first rails,second drive means coupled to said first drive means for moving saidfirst drive means and said trucks in unison in the same direction alongsaid first rails, second rails attached to said trucks for movement withsaid trucks, said second rails extending from said trucks in directionstransverse to said first rails, a pair of cars mounted for movementalong said second rails in directions transverse to the directions ofmovement of said trucks, third drive means for moving said cars inunison along said second rails, stu b shaft means carried by said carsin spaced generally colinear relation to one another, and expandablemembers on the free facing ends of said spaced stub shafts adapted toreleas ably grasp the opposite ends of a paper roll core.

11. An automatic loading back stand for manipulating paper rolls,comprising a plurality of upright stanchions vertically disposed in agenerally rectangular array, a cross beam assembly mounted on saidstanchions in a horizontal plane spaced above ground level, said crossbeam assembly including elongated rail means disposed parallel to groundlevel at a position spaced above ground level, a pair of trucks mountedon said rail means in spaced relation to one another for movement inhorizontal directions, each of said trucks including further rail meansextending downwardly therefrom in vertical directions, a pair of carsmounted below said pair of trucks respectively for movement in verticaldirections along said further rail means, and means on said cars forselectively engaging the opposing ends of a paper roll core.

12. The back stand of claim 11 including means for varying the positionof said cross beam assembly relative to said upright stanchions.

13. A back stand for manipulating rolls of web material, comprising aplurality of vertically disposed stanchions, a cross beam assemblymounted adjacent the top of said stanchions for angular movement in ahorizontal plane above ground level, means for angularly moving saidcross beam assembly, said cross beam assembly including elongated railmeans movable therewith and disposed at an elevated position parallel toground level, a plurality of spaced trucks mounted for move- 14. Theback stand of claim 13 wherein said stanchions are disposed in uprightspaced relation to one another on a floor, said cross beam assembly,trucks, further rails, and cars all being positioned between spaced onesof said stanchions at locations above said floor, the area of said floor'between said stanchions being substantially unobstructed to permit aroll of said web material to be rolled along said floor into a loadingposition between a pair of said ears.

1 2 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS.

1,669,837 5/1928 Pancoast 242-586 2,501,985 3/1950 Benjamin 2AZ58.62,599,720 6/1952 Prevost 242--58.6 2,962,24-1 11/1960 Campbell et a1.242-79 LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Primary Examiner.

1. AN AUTOMATIC LOADING BACK STAND FOR CONVERTER MACHINER COMPRISING APAIR OF ELONGATED ELEVATED BEAMS EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY IN PARALLELRELATION TO ONE ANOTHER, A PLURALITY OF ROLL LOADING STATIONS SUPPORTEDIN SPACED RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER ON SAID BEAMS, EACH OF SAID LOADINGSTATIONS COMPRISING A PAIR OF PARALLEL ELEVATED RAILS DISPOSEDTRANSVERSELY TO SAID BEAM, A PAIR OF TRUCKS ROLLABLY SUPPORTED ON EACHPAIR OF RAILS, DRIVE MEANS COUPLED TO SAID TRUCKS FOR SELECTIVELY MOVINGSAID TRUCKS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER AND FOR ALSO MOVING SAIDTRUCKS IN UNISON IN THE SAME DIRECTION ALONG SAID PAIR OF ELEVATEDRAILS, SUPPORT MEANS DEPENDING DOWNWARDLY